You can ditch fitness props and instead build muscle in your chest, back and arms the old-fashioned way -- with a pure and simple pushup. The pushup uses the resistance of gravity and your own body weight to build strong muscles. If you are just getting started with a strength-training program, you might want to modify a traditional pushup to decrease the intensity. If you are an old pushup pro, try adding extra weight to increase your muscle mass.

Step 1

Step 2

Step back with both feet until you are balancing on your toes in plank position. The only body parts that should be touching the floor are your palms and toes. Keep your hips elevated and engage your thigh muscles by drawing up your kneecaps.

Step 3

Bend your elbows by your sides and lower your torso down until it almost touches the floor. Pause and hover an inch or two above the floor. Press your palms into the floor, extend your elbows and press yourself back to the starting position.

Step 4

Perform as many pushups as you can until your arms fatigue and you can no longer maintain good form. Take a break for one to three minutes and work your way up to three sets.

Tip

Practice pushups two to three times per week, leaving at least one day in between pushup sessions to aid muscle recovery.

To decrease the intensity of the pose, keep your knees bent on the floor and practice a pushup on all fours. Add a weighted vest or have a spotter place a weight plate on your back to increase the intensity of the exercise. The more weight you add, the harder it will be to keep yourself lifted.

References

About the Author

Nicole Carlin is a registered yoga teacher. Her writing has been published in yoga and dance teacher training manuals for POP Fizz Academy. Carlin received a Masters of Arts in gender studies from Birkbeck University in London and a Bachelors of Arts in psychology from Temple University, Philadelphia.